What is Planet Four: Terrains?

The exotic terrains of Mars’ south pole have several forms, unlike anything on Earth. The science team would like your help to map images taken by the Context Camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Researchers will use the locations you identify as targets for detailed study using the HiRISE camera, which is the highest-resolution camera ever sent to a planet!

What do you do?

Your help is needed to map the surface of Mars. You will be looking for terrain types, informally called ‘spiders’, ‘baby spiders,’ ‘channel networks’ and ‘Swiss cheese.’ You will contribute by locating craters. You will analyse images from the Context Camera orbiting Mars, and the locations you identify will be used as targets for higher-resolution observations.

Relations with school topics

Mars, satellites, composition and structure, the Solar System